


I'm Not Your Hero

by LittleSpork



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Cross/Dream - Freeform, Its just hard to write them like that, M/M, Magic is learnt through books!, Maybe afterdeath but I'm not sure, Medieval Fantasy AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Trust me they are still skeletons, errink - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:49:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26102962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSpork/pseuds/LittleSpork
Summary: Dream, the only member of his family that could take the throne. Left to fight a war against his brother.The only way he knew to win was the depictions of a hero on the walls of the great hall.Who was this hero?
Relationships: Dream/Cross, Error/Ink
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	I'm Not Your Hero

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived King and Queen. They ruled over the kingdom and brought love and hope to all with their magic and kindness. The Queen took her people’s negativity and turned it into energy to help farms and gardens prosper. The king shared his positivity with those who felt their hope slipping. The King and Queen also took over their peoples dreams. They would use the land of dreams to bring positivity to their people and take away any doubts or worry. The people were overjoyed when the King and Queen announced they would be having a baby but the queen fell ill shortly after the announcement. The King worked hard day and night, taking care of his Queen and his people. Even though she was ill the Queen gave birth to two boys. Dream and Nightmare. The Queen remained ill and slowly got worse over time. 

Many years passed and the King had started to grow weak from his constant use of both positive and negative magic. He could feel his people’s hope start to fade. So he did the only thing he could think of, he trained his two sons to take over. Dream and Nightmare trained with their father, day after day, they were taught how to travel and control Dreams and how to use a person's negative or positive emotion for energy and to fuel their magic. Dream found he was better with positive emotions while Nightmare was better with Negative emotions. As the boys grew up they noticed how their father was beginning to fade, his hair was grey and his face held many wrinkles. Dream would beg their father to take a break but he would just simply laugh and pat Dream on the back. “I won’t rest yet.” Was all he would say.

Dream never understood what he meant, he believed he and his brother were fully capable of handling the positivity of the people on their own. They had been training since they were kids. Dream could summon a bow out of pure positivity, wasn’t that enough to prove he was ready?  
The night before their 17th birthday, their mother passed in her sleep. Nightmare was by her side when it happened. When questioned why he was in their mothers room Nightmare didn’t answer. The news of their mothers death was a blow to the kingdom's hope and the Kings health. Rumors about the prince of negativity began to circulate.

“Father, I think Nightmare and I are ready. We’ve been working hard and you’ve taught us everything you know. Surely that must prove it.” Dream pleaded. He stood by his fathers throne. The older man looked like death himself. “No Dream, there is still something you must know. Come with me.” His father took a breath before getting to his feet. His old bones creaked.  
Dream followed behind him and made sure he kept his balance. “I was afraid of telling you, but when your mother died I realized it was something that couldn’t be avoided.”  
Dream was led into a large room, paintings covered the walls depicting a hero with a sword slaying a mighty beast.

“Dream. I’ve been having visions of a great war.” His father’s voice echoed through the dimly lit room. Dream cast his gaze back to the paintings. “The same war in those paintings?” Dream asked. The paintings started to seem more alive. “Yes. Dream, promise me. If something ever happens to me. Take care of your brother and your people.”  
Dreams eyes widened, his mouth hung open. “M-My people?”.  
A small smile tugged at his fathers lips. “Yes Dream, when I’m gone, you will be the one to replace me.”  
Dream stepped away from his father. “Nightmare and I were meant to rule together, We’re brothers!”  
His father sighed. “I’m sorry Dream. But Nightmare cannot rule beside you.”  
Dream felt anger boiling up inside him. He promised Nightmare they would rule together. He felt angry tears built up as he stormed out of the room.

Dream told Nightmare immediately, tears fell from his eyes as he explained what their father had said. Nightmare remained silent.  
Dream ended up crying himself to sleep that night. He was mad about his father's words, why was Nightmare always left out? Even when their father had been training them Dream always noticed how Nightmare was ignored, why was Dream the special one?  
Little did Dream know Nightmare was asking himself the same question. 

Dream woke up hours later. Something felt off, things felt unbalanced. “Nightmare?” Dream called into the darkness, he tried to let his eyes adjust to the darkness but it seemed to only get darker. “Nightmare?” He called again. Nightmare was a light sleeper so either he’s ignoring Dream or he’s not in his bed. Dream tiredly dragged himself out of bed, it was odd for Nightmare to be awake this late. Why did the air feel so heavy? As he stepped out of his room he felt a chill run down his spine. The hallway looked so much darker than usual. He crept down the long hallway, aware of every sound. He had no reason to be on edge but something didn’t feel right.  
“Nightmare?” He asked the dark. His brother didn’t respond. He continued his search. He didn’t need to look for Nightmare, his brother was probably just enjoying the night out in the garden there was no reason to go looking for him. Yet Dream continued to look. He checked many of the empty rooms but his brother was nowhere to be found. The only place he hadn’t checked were the main rooms. He didn’t expect to find his brother but he did. 

Dream pushed open the large doors leading into the throne room. If he were to find anyone in there it would be his father as he usually sat and planned out his next few days. Well, Dream wasn’t wrong. He did find his father but not how he expected to. Instead of his father sitting on his throne planning his days. He found him on the ground. Dead. Nightmare standing over him.

The next few moments were a blur to Dream, everything happened so fast. He remembers running to his father's side and crying. Nightmare had tried to talk to him but Dream had screamed in his face and called him a monster. That word triggered something in Nightmare, he had been holding back so much hatred that he finally snapped. Everything he ever did was for Dream. He sheltered Dream from the truth and this is how he’s repaid? Being called a monster. He watched Dream cradle their father. The real monster.

“I’ll show you what a monster is really like.” He growled as he let his hatred take over. Dream watched horrified as his brother began to change. His bones seemingly began to melt and change color. Dream could feel the overwhelming negativity surrounding his brother.

“Guards!” He screamed, over and over as he backed away from the creature that his brother had become. It watched him with an evil grin.

“I’ll see you soon, brother.” With that the creature sunk into the cracks of the floor and vanished. A moment later the guards rushed through the doors. Dream was questioned as his father's body was taken away. 

Later that week Dream gave out the news to the kingdom, now that his father was dead and his brother missing, he was the only member left in his family to take the throne. So, on his 18th birthday he was crowned King though he still preferred to be called prince.

2 years later Nightmare declared war against Dream after Destroying many small villages outside the walls of Dreams kingdom, since then the brothers have been fighting. It had been a constant back and forth for a year or two before Nightmare had gone silent.

Dream hoped Nightmare had given up his attempts to take Dreams throne, but then the Nightmares started. At first they weren’t so bad, just Dream reliving his father's death. But slowly they got worse. 

A yawn escaped Dreams mouth as he listened to his friend ramble on about his odd adventures in town. He loved his friends' stories but the nightmares had been merciless that night, he could barely focus on his own thoughts.

He closed his eyes for a moment and leaned back in his throne. Sleep seemed like a great idea. His friend's voice slowly started to fade out as sleep overtook him. 

He was hoping to have a dreamless nap but no. A black sky loomed above him. He stood in the hall of the throne room, the roof had caved in and rabble lay at his feet. Dream Gripped his bow Tightly. “Nightmare, please!” Dream pleaded as his brother stepped closer to him. His eye glowed a bright teal. The menacing grin on his face clearly showed his intentions. Dream cast his eyes to the ground. He had lost the war against his brother, he let thousands of lives suffer. 

Nightmare watched his brother's bow drop to the floor as the prince moved his hands to his crown. The grin grew on Nightmares face when Dream slowly lifted the crown off his head, his hands trembled.  
Without a word, Dream held the crown out towards his brother, surrendering.

Finally the crown was in Nightmares hands, finally he was the true ruler of the land.

Nightmare loomed over Dream. A sinister smile on his face. Dream stared at his brother, hopelessness taking over. Dream fell to his knees, everything he tried to protect had crumbled around him, the remains of his friends littered the broken floor. Nightmare laughed as he raised his sword.  
“Goodbye Brother.”

The blade of the sword came down to Dream's skull. He jolted awake as a scream left his mouth. He leaned forward clutching his chest, his soul pounding against his ribs. Sweat dripped from his skull. 

“Dream! What happened? Are you ok?” Ink put his hand on Dreams back, doing his best to comfort the shorter monster. Dream took deep breaths to calm his panicked breathing, that was the worst nightmare yet, he hoped it was a nightmare.

“Get some water.” Ink ordered one of the castle servants. Ink may not be royalty but the servants respected him and never hesitated to follow any instruction given to them.

Ink turned his attention back to Dream, rubbing the young princes back. “I didn’t think you’d be one to get nightmares considering your name is Dream..” Ink chuckled softly, trying to help the distressed Dream.

The servant hurried back with a cup of water. Dream took the cup with a trembling hand. “Thank you.” He whispered. He sipped the water and let out a shaky sigh. “It was about Nightmare.”

Ink frowned. “What did he do?” Dream chuckled at his friend's curiosity, it was the one thing that always got him into trouble.

“He killed me.” The memory of his brother's sword made him shiver. He waited for a moment before he looked at Ink. Dream could almost hear the gears turning in Inks head.  
“That’s it?” Ink questioned, question marks in his eyes. Dream gave Ink a half lidded stare.  
“Ink, I know you’re not really connected with emotions but being killed by my own brother in my dream isn’t exactly a pleasant experience.”

Ink blinked, his pupils changing each time. Dream could feel Ink analyzing him and shifted in his throne. “Finish your water, you’ve been stuck inside too long so you’re coming with me to visit Blue.”

Dream gulped down the rest of the water, Ink was right, he had been cooped up inside his castle for days and definitely needed some fresh air and maybe a change of scenery would help clear his mind. Ink stood from his spot next to the throne and stretched.   
He held his hand out for Dream to take and pulled him to the large doors that lead to the courtyard. Dream took in the crisp morning air, he always loved going for morning walks, he would normally water his flowers but since Nightmare started to expand his land, Dream has had to focus on keeping his people safe. When was the last time he took a break? Between learning new magic, practicing his aim and meetings with nobles he’s had barely any time to relax and now with the nightmares he's been more tired than normal. 

“Earth to Dream, hello?” Ink waved his hand in front of Dreams face, causing the prince to blink back to the present. “Sorry, I zoned out for a bit.”

Ink frowned but didn’t say anything, instead he took Dreams hand again and pulled him through the courtyard. Dream waved to the servants tending to the garden and made sure to thank the woman watching the horses. Ink kept a blank face as he dragged Dream through the streets of the very lively town. The townsfolk cheered as Dream passed them, some tried to hand him fruits or homemade sweets but Ink didn’t give him the chance to accept anything, instead Dream had to decline the generous offerings just to make sure he didn’t fall flat on his face. Slowly the buzz of the busy street began to fade as they continued into the lower part of town. Dream finally let his smile fall once he was through the busy part of town. The lower part of town was usually vacant as not many people liked to live near the gate out of fear of being the target of robbery or worse. Dream always felt uneasy in this part of town. He wanted to believe that everyone within the walls of his region were kind and caring people but he knew that wasn’t always the case. Since Nightmare started to expand people had become desperate. Nightmare had destroyed many of the small villages that resided outside the walls leaving many seeking shelter in Dreams region. Sadly Dream knew he wouldn’t be able to house and promise safety to everyone. 

As the two walked Dream started to focus on the sounds of their footsteps, The stone path was loud in the mornings and it echoed off the empty houses. The shadow of the large wall began to loom over them, the shadow hiding anything watching them in secret. The silence was making Dream worry. Ink wasn’t usually this silent, and when he was it never lasted this long. 

“Ink, what’s wrong?” The question finally escaped Dreams mouth. Ink stopped suddenly his grip on Dreams hand tightening.   
“It wasn’t just a nightmare, was it?” Ink kept himself facing forward, his eyes trained on the ground. His thoughts were racing. He could feel Dreams eyes on him. “I know you better than anyone else in these walls, Dream.” Ink turned to face the prince. His pupils white and serious. Ink was right, he knew Dream well enough to know when he’s hiding something.

He knew it wasn’t just a nightmare but he wanted Dream to confirm it. Dream didn’t want to accept it, he didn’t want to accept that his ’nightmare’ was a vision. He didn’t want to accept that his brother could kill him without a second thought. He didn’t want to accept that his brother could win the war Dream had tried so desperately to stop.

Dream didn’t have to say anything, the look of sadness on the prince's face confirmed Inks suspicions. “Dream, your visions could help us win the war. Why do you keep denying it?”  
Ink placed his hands on Dreams shoulders.

“I don’t want to think about the future I see in those visions.” Dream whispered. The past few nights had been hell for the prince, he had watched so many of his people die, so many of his friends. 

Ink kept a serious look as he started at Dream. “We can change that future.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of I'm Not Your Hero, This was my first time posting on Ao3 so if anything is wrong please don't be afraid to point it out. This first chapter was a challenge to write but I hope it wasn't too fast paced for you! I'm exciting to continue this story and I hope you enjoy reading it!


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